Moth larva: how to get rid of it, what is the moth afraid of?

Moth is always a problem. But no less problematic is the choice of method to combat it. Many housewives are afraid to use household chemicals to remove moths, not unreasonably fearing for the health of people and pets living in the house. And here the good old folk methods come to the rescue - freezing or scalding. It is enough to take woolen items out into the cold to destroy clothes moths. And in order to remove food moths, boiling water is poured into the jars of cereal in which they have settled.

What moth larvae look like

Moth larvae are caterpillars with a white, sometimes yellowish translucent body and a black head. The parasite has powerful jaws that allow it to cut fur or chew hard foods.

The larvae have small legs with which they move. The caterpillar's body is thin and oblong. Externally, an insect at this stage of development looks like a worm. The body length of the pest is 3-7 mm.

There are 6 main types of house moths:

1. grain;
2. fur coat;
3. kitchen;
4. wardrobe;
5. furniture;
6. carpet

The larvae of any of the above types of pests look almost identical. But environmental conditions often determine what color a caterpillar's body will be.

Food moth

Experts know what a food moth larva looks like. The caterpillar's body is transparent beige or light brown. Body length – up to 20 mm.

The worm's head stands out. It has a dark brown color. The larva also has tenacious paws for rapid movement.

Clothes moth

Knowing what clothes moth larvae look like, it will be easy to distinguish them from another species. The caterpillar's body length is up to 1 cm. The body of the worm is translucent with a beige or yellowish tint.

The insect's head is darker.

It has 2 large mandibles with teeth, with which the parasite can cut through products made of natural wool and other fabrics.

White worms in the kitchen. What are we dealing with?

However, today situations continue to arise when we again have to deal with household pests. Who hasn’t had to deal with the fact that small worms appear out of nowhere in the kitchen? The most unpleasant thing in this case is that we do not know where this scourge came from and who these insects are.

The worms on the ceiling in the kitchen are aliens who came into our house from outside not of our will. Man's fault lies in the fact that we have artificially created ideal conditions in our kitchen for the habitat and reproduction of insects. The problem is so serious that any delay in making a decision threatens to become a disaster for you. In just a day or two, following one worm on the ceiling, you will encounter a huge mass of moving larvae.

Worms on the kitchen ceiling - a biological portrait of pests

The masonry is mainly done on the shelves and in the cabinets of our kitchen, where porridge, cereals and dry semi-finished products are stored in abundance. After a week or two, white worms hatch from the eggs, which absorb all edible bulk and dry foods on a huge scale.

The waste products of the larvae render any cereal or porridge unusable, making it unfit for consumption.

If you notice flying moths in the house, especially in the kitchen, sound the alarm. Otherwise, time will be wasted and in just a couple of weeks you will have white worms on the ceiling in your kitchen as an unpleasant discovery.

Are food moths dangerous and where do they come from?

White worms on your kitchen ceiling in the kitchen are already a consequence. The problem arose from the moment food moths entered our home. This is where the biggest surprise lies. We never know what draws us into the house. In the case of food moths, the situation generally looks paradoxical. It's all due to poor quality food. The moth itself cannot get into the apartment, but bringing it into the house is quite possible. Without knowing it, we buy already contaminated food products in a store or market. Porridge, flour and other bulk semi-finished products must be tested. fumigation during storage. Unscrupulous suppliers and manufacturers often neglect storage technology, packaging products already infested with insects and putting them up for sale.

Note: food moth larvae are omnivorous and very voracious. Gnawing through plastic bags, the larvae quickly spread throughout the kitchen space in search of food. Dead caterpillars, feces and remains of pupae make our habitable kitchen space unsightly and dirty. Food products must be disposed of immediately.

How to get rid of moths and their larvae

There are many ways to get rid of moth larvae. If a caterpillar is discovered, you need to go through all the things and food in the closet.

Contaminated food should be thrown away or kept in the oven for 30 minutes (50 degrees). Things should be washed at a temperature of 60 degrees or aired in the sun or frost.

It is recommended to wipe kitchen cabinets with vinegar or soapy water. Carpets and furniture must be treated with insecticides and then vacuumed.

Application of chemicals

One of the most effective ways to destroy moth larvae in the house is to use chemicals. The insecticide contains substances that negatively affect the nervous and muscular systems of the parasite, which leads to its subsequent death.

If there are moths in the apartment, aerosols are most often used:

• Tornado;
• Clean house;
• Extra Meat;
• Armol;
• Difox;
• Raptor
• Argus
• Dichlorvos Neo.

It is advisable to carry out the treatment in a protective suit, goggles, mask, and gloves. The disadvantage of aerosols is that after spraying them, sometimes an unpleasant odor remains.

To destroy caterpillars, it is enough to treat infected things and surfaces with an aerosol 1-2 times. The insecticidal effect of the drug lasts about 6 months.

Folk methods of struggle

To get rid of larvae, folk remedies are often used.

So that pests do not appear on clothes or food, it is worth trying to eliminate them with essential oils.

What parasites dislike the most is the smell of the following oils:

1. geranium,
2. lavender,
3. grapefruit,
4. mint,
5. lemon,
6. eucalyptus,
7. orange.

Add 5 drops of extract to 1 liter of water. The resulting solution is used to treat hard-to-reach places in the sofa, other upholstered furniture, cabinets, carpets, clothes, and baseboards.

Lepidoptera caterpillars die in the open sun. Therefore, if possible, clothes, carpets and other contaminated items should be taken outside or onto the balcony for 1-4 hours. Afterwards everything needs to be washed, washed and dried.

Frost also helps remove pests. To destroy the caterpillars, things are taken out into the cold for several hours.

People who have successfully gotten rid of pests using folk remedies know how else to remove moth larvae.

Popular methods of removing parasites:

1. sagebrush. A decoction is prepared based on the leaves and seeds of the herb. The resulting solution is used to treat contaminated products.
2. Soap and pine needles. Domestic butterflies are destroyed by alkali and repelled by the smell of pine needles. Soap is dissolved in boiling water and pine needles are placed there. After 20 minutes, the items are soaked in the solution for 10 minutes.
3. Boiling water. Contaminated clothing should be immersed in boiling water for 10-20 minutes.
4. Tobacco. The acids contained in the plant have a detrimental effect on the larvae. Tobacco leaves are infused in hot water. A spray bottle is filled with liquid, and then sprayed over all places where parasites live.

At what temperature do moths and their larvae die?

Many housewives who have lepidopteran insects want to know at what temperature the moth larvae die. Experts say that for reproduction and normal existence, parasites need a temperature of 20-30 degrees.

If the indicator is less than 15°C, the pests’ metabolism will slow down significantly and they will become inactive. If the temperature returns to normal, the pests will continue their activity.

Insects are killed by temperatures less than 10 °C and more than 30 °C.

Video

How to get rid of moths?

Preventive measures

To prevent the weakening or death of bee colonies, it is recommended to carry out a number of preventive measures. This will help you avoid getting acquainted with pests that are difficult to get rid of:

• planting repellent plants (garlic, geranium, mint, wormwood, thyme) next to the apiary;
• storing honeycomb frames in a clean, ventilated area;
• timely repairs, cleaning of hives, constant checks;
• providing bees with free access to all areas of the hive.

Bee moth is a large or small wax moth that is dangerous for beekeeping. Harm is caused by larvae and caterpillars gnawing honeycomb cells, eating honey, bee bread, wax or propolis. If you do not get rid of these pests, the bee colony will weaken, die or fly away.

Nutrition of larvae

The caterpillar feeds on a variety of foods or things. In nature, pests eat fruits, feathers, berries, wool, grains, vegetables or nuts.

Housewives in whose homes these parasites lived know what house moth larvae eat. Once in the house, insects begin to actively feed on hair, fur, and fabrics (linen, silk, cotton, wool).

Parasites also love to eat products made from natural fur. Moreover, insects choose old materials, which are better to chew and digest.

Clothes moth larvae are quite fastidious in their diet. They love to eat sweaty clothes or stained carpets.

Kitchen moth larvae consume bran, sweets, flour, cereals and nuts. Insects also eat cookies, pasta, tea, and dried fruits.

The larva's stomach is very small, so the parasite leaves behind an insignificant trace. Because of this, the presence of moths for a long time is often unnoticed. Parasites are discovered after their active reproduction, when the number of caterpillars becomes enormous.

So, moth larvae feed differently.

And the type of food determines the name of the insect:

Peculiarities of moth reproduction

Moths have 4 stages of development. The timing of the stages varies and depends on the type of insect and its living conditions.

The development cycle of the lepidopteran parasite consists of a number of stages:

1. egg laying;
2. hatching of larvae;
3. transformation of a caterpillar into a pupa;
4. adult.

At a time, the female lays 40-200 eggs, up to 1 mm in size. Further development of eggs is regulated by temperature. On average, the process lasts up to 3 weeks.

Experts know how moth larvae appear. The caterpillar hatches from the egg. The worm has a transparent skin, and its body length reaches 1 mm.

The caterpillar goes through several stages of molting and then becomes a pupa.

It is noteworthy that food species develop in 4-5 months, and clothing species - up to 90 days.

For pupation, insects choose hard-to-reach, dark places. But some types of lepidoptera prefer bright places.

Many species of house moths make a cocoon for themselves. This is a cover woven from a substance resembling silk. In a protective cocoon, the larva is in the pronymph state, and then it molts.

The integument of the pupa hardens over time. The shell protects the insect until it transforms into a butterfly (up to 14 days).

The lifespan of an adult is up to 3 weeks. During this time, she mates, looks for food for the larvae, and leaves offspring.

Temperature control methods

To kill bedbugs by increasing the temperature, use:

• heat gun;
• iron;
• steam generator;
• hot air gun;
• steam cleaner.

In addition, you can use methods such as:

• wash;
• treatment with boiling water;
• ultra-violet rays;
• freezing;
• cold fog.

Steam generator

The unit under high pressure produces water vapor at temperatures up to 100°C. A steam generator can be used to reach bloodsuckers in hard-to-reach places. For example, under baseboards, in crevices and beds. It helps to destroy not only the eggs and larvae of bedbugs, but also the parasites themselves.

The steam generator has a relatively small working surface for processing.

The small size of the nozzle requires careful processing of each surface area, which is a disadvantage of this method.

Thermal gun

The heat gun quickly heats the room to the required temperature. It is used in small and large spaces. The effect is achieved almost immediately: after 30-45 minutes of treatment, insects die.

The downside of a thermal gun is its size and cost. In the future, since the device is no longer needed, it will be difficult to find a place for it in the apartment. Therefore, it is better to temporarily borrow equipment to process the room.

Boiling water

Larvae and adult bedbugs caught in boiling water die instantly, but not all surfaces can be treated with it. Modern floor coverings cannot withstand high temperatures

In addition, processing in this way is by no means safe and requires extreme caution.

Bugs at all stages of development die in boiling water.

Hand and machine wash

Housewives fight bedbugs by frequently and thoroughly washing clothes and bedding. At home, this option is the most suitable if it is not possible to purchase a steam generator or heat gun.

Hand washing is ineffective for getting rid of parasites, since the water warms up to no more than 50°C and cools down quickly.

In the automatic machine, the water temperature reaches 90°C, which leaves bloodsuckers no chance of survival. Therefore, it is better to wash clothes using technology.

Iron

A hot iron is used in case of stains from the activity of parasites. Clothes and bedding are ironed from all sides.

The disadvantage of this method is that not every fabric can be ironed at maximum heat.

When the sole of the iron irons the woven material, the larvae and adults die.

Freezing

Bedbugs are killed not only by hot methods, but also by freezing. When it's cold, beds and sofas are put outside. Bloodsuckers die from the cold. But during the day, parasites crawl from bedroom furniture to other furniture left in the room. Therefore, the method may not bring the desired results.

Cold fog

An insecticidal solution is sprayed using a special steam generator. Cold fog is used when you need to quickly eliminate annoying pests. It is safe for apartment residents and can get rid of bedbugs and their larvae in 1-2 hours.

Treating a room with cold fog is one of the most effective methods of killing bedbugs.

Today this method is considered the most reliable; the cold fog does not leave a single surviving parasite.

Ultra-violet rays

Harmful microorganisms develop in bedbug nests. To prevent this from happening, you need to dry household items, pillows, blankets, bed linen, and clothes in the sun.

Household steam cleaner

A household steam cleaner works like a steam generator. Insects die instantly from the steam flow.

A household thermal cleaner can destroy bedbug eggs and larvae.

Hot air gun

This is a construction hair dryer capable of producing temperatures up to 500°C, which has a detrimental effect on bedbugs. It is not recommended to use the device for a long time to avoid overheating.

Prevention

To prevent the moth larva from actively destroying valuables or food, it is important to know how to prevent the pest from appearing in the house. To protect your home, it is important to follow a number of rules.

So, only washed items should be stored in closets. From time to time, all woolen or fur products and natural fabrics must be ventilated in frost or sun.

Other rules of prevention:

1. Fur and wool must be periodically treated with insecticides.
2. Items cannot be placed in plastic bags.
3. Herbs that repel parasites (tansy, wormwood, lavender) should be placed in the wardrobe and chest of drawers.
4. You can place citrus peels in the kitchen.
5. On shelves with clothes you need to place pieces of foam rubber soaked in essential extracts.
6. All food products that can be damaged by larvae must be periodically sorted and stored in closed containers.
7. Regularly you need to carefully inspect all seams and folds on things for the presence of parasites.

Microscopic larvae can ruin expensive and valuable things. Therefore, it is easier to prevent their occurrence than to purchase a new fur coat, furniture or carpet.

To do this, it is important to follow the prevention rules described above. And at the first sign of moths appearing in the house, carry out a thorough disinfection.

Impact of temperature

Moths do not tolerate too high or low temperatures. An adult flying specimen dies at 2 °C below zero. A decrease to -10 °C has a detrimental effect on larvae, eggs and pupae. The moth also dies at a temperature of 40 °C. Washing items in water heated to 50 °C will help destroy the oviposition and the larvae themselves.

To protect outerwear, as well as woolen clothing and fur items from being eaten by moths, they are taken out into the fresh air (balcony or terrace) for several days in winter. Some people practice freezing their own homes to get rid of harmful insects. But this method is only suitable for private houses where there is no central heating.

In summer, on clear days, it is effective to warm up clothes under the sun's rays. The moth does not tolerate bright light, so the butterflies fly away immediately, and the larvae gradually die when heated. It must be taken into account that periodic shaking of things will allow you to get rid of caterpillars that are loosely attached to any surfaces.

It is easier to initially prevent the appearance of the pest by using methods aimed at repelling the insect.